Beer control and pipe-cleaning apparatus



June 15, 1948. ZWOSTA 2,443,550

BEER CONTROL AND PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 8, 194 43 INVENTOR. Jifzlchdez/ I Zwosiq June 15, 1948.

M. J. ZWOSTA BEER CONTROL AND PIPE-CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Bed. 8, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. J/lich ael J Zwos'Z'a/ Patented June 15, 1948 BEER CONTROL AND PIPE-CLEANING APPARATUS Michael J. Zwosta, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 8, 1944, Serial No. 567,203

3 Claims. (o1. 225-,-12)

This invention relates to beverage dispensing apparatus in which pipe connections extend from the beverage containers to the dispensing faucets and :air or carbonic gas pipes extend from a pump or tank to the beverage containers for supplying the pressure needed to raise the beverage from the containers to the dispensing faucets. More especially, this invention relates to arrangements for cleaning the beverage piping.

The pipe cleaning operation in such dispensing apparatus in general use today, is performed with special portable apparatus which necessitates disconnecting the pipe system from the beverage containers for cleaning and flushing. The operation is usually performed when the beverage dispensing apparatus is not in use and when it is performed during service hours service is necessarily discontinued during the pendency of the operation. This method is poor at best; it does not encourage or permit of sufficiently frequent and sufficiently thorough cleaning operations to insure at all times the best sanitary and palatable conditions. It also causes a serious loss of beverage contained in the pipe lines extending from the containers to the dispensing faucets. In addition to these serious shortcomings, this method is inconvenient and costly. Y

To overcome these objections, methods and apparatus have been invented for cleaning the pipe lines without causing loss of beverage and without disconnecting the pipe lines from the beverage containers. Invariably, however, these new methods and apparatus are complicated and impractical. In most cases the beverage inthe pipe lines is saved by driving it back into the containers before the cleaning operation is started. This is an undesirable practice for the reason, among others, that the beverage from the unclean pipes would have a deleterious effect upon the beverage in the containers. Thus, despite the great shortcomings of the first mentioned method, the last mentioned methods and apparatus have not been generally accepted.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a practicalmethod and means for encouraging and permitting the frequent cleaning of the pipe system at any time during as well as outside of service hours, without loss of beverage, without the necessity for returning the containers, without the necessity for disconnecting the pipe linesfrom the beverage containers and without the employment of special portable apparatus.

Another object is to provide apparatus of the character described, having easily accessible controls located in the immediate vicinity of the dispensing faucets.

A further object is the provision of safety control means which function automatically to prevent accidental fouling of the cleaning and flushing system, as for example, the passage of cleaning fluid into the beverage containers.

These and other objects are attained by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the entire system showing its application to a beer dispensing unit and showing one of a plurality of beer barr-els connected to one of a plurality of beer dispensing faucets;

Fig. 2 is a partly diagrammatic view of the system as a whole;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the master valve controlling said system;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a diaphragm safety valve used in the automatic safety control mechanism of said system; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of another diaphragm safety valve used in the automatic safety control mechanism of said system.

The present invention is shown in the drawing as applied to beer dispensing apparatus. The

invention has equal application. to other types of beverage dispensing apparatus in which compressed air or carbonic gas supplies the pressure for raising the beverage from the beverage containers, through a pipe system, to the dispensing faucets.

compressed air from the tank to the beer barrels through taps I8.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a cross coupling 20 is connected to the tap of one of the barrels by direction against the tension of the sprin until means of the usual assortment of pipe and pipe it rests against seat '65, all passage of fluid up couplings. A stop cock 2! is disposed between through the pipelines leading from the beer barrel the cross coupling and the tap. Connected to is brought to an end. It is equally clear that when one of the ports of the cross coupling by means 5 the fuller ball is in its normal elevated position, of the usual series of pipe and pipe couplings is there is communication between the pipeline leada pipeline 25 which leads to the coil 28 in the ing to the beer barrel on the one hand and pipecooling system and connected to the other end lines 25 and 36 on the other hand through their of the coil by means of the usual type of conrespective pipe fittings. A packing box l6 prenecting pipe and pipe coupling members is the 10 vents any flow of beer into the lower compartment. dispensing faucet 21. Pipe is the beverage Should some beer seep or leak into said compartpipeline, the beverage passing therethrough from merit, however, it will pass out through drain the beer barrel to thendispensingv faucet. holel'l'lr A second pipelinmtfl, is connected to a second Referring now to Fig; 4, itisxclearthat diaport of cross coupling 20 and to a double or mas- 15 phragm valve lie is of substantially similar conter valve 3| by means of the usual pipe fittings; ,struction to that of diaphragm valve but that Pipeline 3B is one of the two pair lines of the y it functions in the opposite way. Diaphragm system and its function will hereafterappear:v .A valve comprises a housing which is divided check valve 29 is mounted in the lower end-of" unto right and left compartments by means of pipeline 3i] and its function will also hereaften 2 difi p a m1 3m As has above been indicated, cornappear. municatio-n between said compartments is pre- A third pipeline is connected'atone-end -to ven-ted'hy: diaphragmiit. Amxed to the diaphragm a diaphragm valve 36 and at the other. ienditot is ,ashait 55 which carries at its free end a fuller the second port in the double or master valve 3|. pants. A torsion spring 5's, together with the Diaphragm Mali/e36, isrconnected to the. third 25 pressure of the water in the system, normally urge port...of.,crQss,-.c.Qup1ing(203 .Ripe'line-i35*isvalso said shaft and hence the -iul1er=balland diaan ,air.line..., ltspart in, the general; system will phragm-to the right andthereby cause-the fuller hereinafter appear. It may-be saidfhoweverrat ball ts rest against its'seat' 5A3.- Wh'en the fuller thisupoint that it is a majorv elementliirr the ball is =in its-norma1 positionin closed 'conta'ct safetycontr'ol apparatus of thei'system with its'seat-iiiig communication between branch ,A main pipe1ine lmi extends from the airtanltls line 62 andpipelines andconnecting rnernbersvt i to two branch r auxiliary pipelines a l and'dlreis prevented. "When the fuller ball'is moved to the spectively... Branchnline 4i communicates; with left against the tension of' the spring, andwfthe thelsafetylaiiilinejgethrough the master valve-3 l pressure of the water, communication-between Branch .VJineNAZL icommunicate's .with air line "3!! said-branch linefia'i and said pipelines and @011- through; a econdary branch line. 43 and, master n-ection-s' B1 is efi-ectecl;

valve 3|. A-detailed View of the master double valve 3 l is Branch line'ilzisalso communicatio withshoWni-n Fig-B." 'lt isa valve oiconventional conin communication with the other side of said dia- 40 spe v l zm e it-"e fects wmmunication phragmryalvethro l hz aseries ofv pipes and pipe between airline-3 and secondary br-anchline 53. connectionsfi l. and a. secondary double valv'e"52 P'ort hole-8 I efie'cts' communication -'betW'een air The diaphragmyfiigin said dia hr m vahge; ma line 35 and branch line i i. It'will be seen that a vents communication between branchi lines ll branch port hole 32- connects port hole '8 l with an and 42' through valve 5G. 45 -escape'vent 83 formed in the housing ofthe valve. Branch 1i ne,42 a 1s o communicates with'a .con- The -function of-this escape-vent and'the branch tainer of ashing and 1ea i fiuid 6&th1'oqgh port in" communication therewith wilhhereinthetusual series of; pipe, fittings 'and' pipe members after-be pla ned. til. Container til communicates .at its other side p es-es followsr-The-compressed with a source. of ..Water under pressure j,(n'ot air from-tank lii entersthe-beerbarrel it" through shown) throughsecondary double vaiveez-and a pip ii "i nn ine' m m er It series of pipe d pi e on ecti -'52,: Argguforces the beerupthrough stopcock ill whichis latorBS. controls the waterxp-ressure; A pressure yoe m wnl e" r line C of j25j poundsihas been foundjto be a desirable il and-dispensi fa cet W n itis depressure. 5 sired toclean the beer' line 25 and the coil 26 as Itlwill be seen that branch 'linellzbetweenmain "Well s theconnectine pipe-m m r and fitti s line); and s ndagry br h'h A31 provided -Which connect said" coil with said dispensing with the ffollowingdevic'es: a regulator'liil; a presm t h f ll win i do master v 3 sure gauge Bil, a check 'valve'tl'and 'a stopcock which is normally" in closed position, is opened. 58'. Branch 'lin'e'42 is a'lso provided with a second 60 This-causes' compressed' air to flovv= frorn the. air stopcock 53 at a pointbetweensec-ondary' branch n hrough main line il, branch line tea-nu line' lfliand pipelinesan'd connections-5L- secondary-branch line it -intoair line 3t. Italso Referring now-t Fig; 5,'diaph1"ag m va;}ve"3fi causes air to- -flow'from the air? tankthrough the comprises. a housing 18 which is separatedinto -main lineil and branch line H into the safety upperand lower compartments bymeans-of'diaair :line- 35; When compressed -air entets+the Th'e diaphragmgprevents" o muni ati n b close and prevents'any further fiow of beer from tween the upper .and lower co-mpartments1;'A1nxed the-beerba-rrel. The compressed air in air line 3:) 101theIdiap-hragnrisja shaft 72- which c rri tt mainta'ms pressure on the beer remaining in beer .fiee -end ja ful1er bal1""'l3'."' 'A torsion spring 14 7 -1ine' 25*and coil 2531" It thus becomes possible to normal y. maintains said. shaft-and hence said dispensesa dmaining beer in the usual Way' a h m in n fi e tdwpositionr 'In' such posimerely-opening faucet 2?? Compresed air-inrair tion of the shaft; the fuller ballpis outof; contact i e" 9 "C' d- Y g aitor65,-will cause said with itsseatl 5. It is.,clear from'Fi'g.;5 that when beer'to flo'w through beer line 25-,-='coil= 26, and out the'fuller ballis caused to move'in a "downward 75*through fa'ucetfi'll Areverseflow-of'thebeei into diaphragm valve 50 to close.

. pipeline 30 is at all times prevented by check valve 29. When all of the remaining beer is dispensed, the pipes are ready for the cleaning operation.

Valve 68 may now be closed although in view of the presence of the check valve 61, this is not entirely necessary. Valve 69 is now opened, water from the source of water now passes through valve 52 which is normally kept open, and through cleaning fluid container 60, and thence through diaphragm valve 50 which is normally kept open as will hereinafter appear,valve 69, branch line 42, secondary branch line 43, master valve 3| and air line 30; thence through coupling 28, beer line 25, coil 26 and faucet 21. Check valve 6? will prevent water from entering air line when valve 68 is left open. This flushing process continues until the beer lines are made clean. Valve .69 is now closed and valve 68 opened. This causes a blast of compressed air to pass through secondary branch line 43, master valve 3|, air line 30, coupling 20, beer line 25, coil 26 and dispensing faucet 21, thereby blowing said passages through. The cleaning operation is now complete. In order to prepare the system for dispensing beer again, master valve 3| is closed, the compressed air in safety line 35 escapes through the branch port 82 and the safety vent 83. Pressure on the diaphragm of valve 36 is now released and the valve opens. Compressed air from the air tank passing through pipeline I1 and into the beer barrel now forces the beer up through stop cock 2|, coupling 2!], beer line 25, coil 26 and dispensing faucet 21.

The safety apparatus of the system functions as follows: It has been said that double valve 52 is normally kept open. Compressed air, therefore, normally passes through main line 40, branch line 4|, valve 52 and pipes and pipe connections 5| into the right hand compartment of diaphragm valve 50. The pressure of said compressed air against the diaphragm 53 causes said valve to open. It will be noted that the pressure of the compressed air against diaphragm 53 is equal to the pressure of the compressed air in safety air line 35 against diaphragm H when the master valve 3| is opened. Let us now assume that there is a failure of the compressed air supply during the cleaning operation. This would cause diaphragm valve 36 to open and. Since diaphragm valve 50 controls the flow of water and cleaning fluid into the system, no water or cleaning fluid will pass into the system when the pressure of the compressed air is so low that diaphragm valve 35 is caused to open and communication is effected between pipelines 3D and 25 on the one hand and pipeline leading into the beer barrel on the other. Water and cleaning fluid are thus prevented from entering the beer barrel and spoiling the beer. When the system is not in use, or when it is desired to replenish the cleaning fluid supply in tank 60, valve 52 may be closed. A vent 52a, in said valve opens when the valve closes, and the air in pipeline 5| escapes. This relieves the pressure on the diaphragm in valve 50. The fluid may be drained off, when desired, through drain cock 60a.

The invention hereinabove described may be modified in a number of ways without departing from the basic principles thereof. Essentially, the invention is intended to provide a practical method and means of exhausting beverage from the pipeline system before cleaning said system and to provide a practical and simple meth- 0d and means of cleaning the system. All of fluid pressure forces a beverage out froma beverage container into and through a pipe line system, and thence into and through a dispensing faucet, a diaphragm valve controlled by pressure for closing on the pipe line systorn from the beverage container, air pressure means for forcing the beverage that remains in the pipe line system into and through the; dispensing faucet for dispensing, valve means for admitting cleaningfluid under pressure into said pipe line system after the remaining beverage therein contained has been dispensed, and a second diaphragm valve controlled by fluid pressure for controlling the flow of the cleaning fluid into the pipeline system, and means closing said second diaphragm valve when the first diaphragm valve accidentally opens.

2. In beverage dispensing apparatus in which fluid pressure forces the beverage out of a beverage container into and through a pipe line system and thence into and through a dispensing faucet, a source of compressed air, an air line connecting said source of compressed air to the beverage pipe line system at the point where said beverage pipe line system is connected to the beverage container, an air-controlled diaphragm valve which closes off the beverage container from the beverage pipe line system, a manually operated valve connected to the compressed air line controlling the flow of compressed air through said air line and into the beverage pipe line system, a second air line connecting the manually operated valve to the diaphragm valve, whereby when the manually operated valve is open, the diaphragm valve is caused to close thereby preventing beverage from passing out of the beverage container and into the beverage pipe line system, the opening of said manually operated valve also providing a flow of compressed air into and through the beverage pipe line system, additional valve means for closing off the firstmentioned compressed air line from the beverage pipe line system, a source of cleaning fluid under pressure, valve means for admitting said cleaning fluid into the beverage pipe line system, and a second air-controlled diaphragm valve also connected to the manually operated valve which controls the flow of the cleaning fluid into the beverage pipe line system, the first diaphragm valve being a normally open valve which is closed by the pressure of the compressed air said second diaphragm valve being a normally closed valve which is opened by the pressure of the compressed air.

3. In beverage dispensing apparatus in which fluid pressure forces a beverage out of a beverage container into and through a pipe line system, and thence into and through a dispensing faucet, a normally open compressed air controlled diaphragm valve connected to the beverage pipe line system and controlling the flow of beverage from the beverage container into the beverage pipe line system, a source of compressed air, a manually operated valve connected to said source of compressed air, a compressed air line connecting said manually operated valve to the diaphragm valve whereby the diaphragm valve is caused to close when the manually operated valve is opened, thereby preventing the passage of beverage from '7 the beverage cqntainer intonthebeverage pipe line s; s s.te n 1;, ,seeond compressed.v air line, con.- ne tin sa dsmanuallygoperated :valve .tdthe beverage pipe dine,system, whereby when .the manually operated valve is opened a flow .,of-,eompressedlair, is. caused to passinizov andthrough the beverage pipe .linesystem, additional. valve means for; shutting ofifihe, fiqvln of compressed ail-into the beverage...pipeline system, asource. of cleaning. fluid Lunderpnessure, ,a.;.pipe line vconnecting said sourceof cleaning. flu'id'to. the beverage pipe linesystem, anormally closed air-controlled diaphragmyalve -.connected jto the cleaning fluid pipe-.lineand ,controlling the flow of cleaning fluid into .theb'everage, pipe line system,a nother compressedair line, connecting the manually operatedhvalvel to, the. second diaphragm valve whereby ,when the manually operated valve is opened, thesecond-diaphragm valve is caused also MICHAEL J. ZWOSTA.

: REFERENCES CITED The following references are of, record in the file ofrjthispatentt.

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